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I want to use sand in my next tank (20-30 gals0. I want to have enough to anchor faux plants. Whats a good, inexpensive type of sand to get and how much will i need?

I'll do graffiti,
If you sing to me in French.

Inexpensive sand can be found at Home Depot for about $2.50 for a 50lb bag. It's called Play Sand, is a brownish color, and is located near the concrete section. I've used this before, and it works out nicely. It's requires a good deal of rinsing - where you put small amounts of sand into a bucket, add water, and swirl it thoroughly. Poor off the murky water and repeat this process until the water doesn't turn murky anymore.

Home Depot also sells a play sand called "Caribbean Play Sand" which is crushed aragonite and is a white/off-white color. It's about $5-$6 per 50lb bag. This will raise your pH and is difficult to clean (took me a really long time), moreso than the regular brown play sand. This stuff is usually found in the garden center if they stock it.

Another cheap alternative is pool filter sand, which can be found at places that sell pool supplies (imagine that! ). This is less dusty than play sand, and won't take as long to clean... so I'm told. I've never used it though, but have heard good things from people who have.

Yep, what andy said.
The thing about sand, is that it does need special care to ensure that it doesnt' develop pockets of anerobic bacteria. Since it's just for fake plants, it won't need to be too deep and a 50lbs bag should be more than enough.

^_^
[link=H2g2]http://hitchhikers.movies.go.com/upgrade.html" style="COLOR: #EB4288[/link] 2005 Don't Leave Home Without it[/font]

Hi,
Before you run off to Home Depot, or somewhere else,
Go to this site:

http://www.plantedtank.net/substratecalculator.html

You want just enough substrate to fill, and cover
the cups of the faux plants. I'd say no more than
an inch and a half, tops.

Fill in the dimensions of the tank, and the depth,
and it will tell you how much you need. Then, go
to Home Depot or where ever, and instead of purchasing
a whole sack, purchase a "broken sack" for much less
money. Aragonite, by the way is a Calcarious sand
and will affect your hardness and pH. Depending upon
what type of fish you are going to keep in the tank,
that may not be what you want to use. Play sand comes
in various of grades and colors from brown to white.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Thanks for all the responses. Looks like ill need about 41 pounds of sand Now all i have to do is figure out how to clean it without making a mess inside my house(it is quite cold out thses days).

I'll do graffiti,
If you sing to me in French.

katieb,
I washed my sand @work (it was for one of the work tanks). I used my 2 gallon water change bucket, and added a few heaping handfulls of sand @a time, then rinsed, stirred, poured, rinse, stir, pour ect for 10 minutes worth of exchanges (go until the water runs clear) then set the washed sand aside, and started a new batch. I didnt' have alot of time during the day to work on it, so it did take quite awhile, but was done inside and without making too much of a mess.

You could also probably try doing it in the bathtub, slowly running water from the tap into a bucket with the sand in it.

^_^
[link=H2g2]http://hitchhikers.movies.go.com/upgrade.html" style="COLOR: #EB4288[/link] 2005 Don't Leave Home Without it[/font]